[1] From pre-Christian times until 1312, the area – like the entire region – was ruled by various Buddhist and Hindu rulers.

After the defeat of the Marathas against the British in 1818, Ratnagiri area became an administrative region of the Bombay Presidency.

According to the 2011 census Ratnagiri district has a population of 1,615,069,[8] roughly equal to the nation of Guinea-Bissau[9] or the US state of Idaho.

[11] Notable people from Ratnagiri include: Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri Kokum was awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) status tag from the Geographical Indications Registry, under the Union Government of India, on 31 March 2016.

It thus became the first Kokum variety from India and the 13th type of goods from Maharashtra to earn the GI tag.

[14][15] The prestigious GI tag, awarded by the GI registry, certifies that a product possesses distinct qualities, adheres to traditional production methods, and has earned a reputation rooted in its geographical origin.